The present invention relates generally to the field of mail piece and/or parcel weighing and processing in a network; and, more specifically, to the field of determining the weight of an item for mailing or shipping through the use of an internet or intranet data processing environment.
Systems that allow the user to process parcels for delivery by a carrier are known as shipping systems; or, if the intent of the system is to allow the user to choose from among the services of more than one carrier, the system may be known as a carrier management system. By whatever name, these systems (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cshipping systemsxe2x80x9d) are designed to prepare parcels in accordance with the regulations of the carrier that will be picking up the parcels for later delivery.
Traditional configurations of shipping systems include low-end embedded systems, mid-range personal computer (PC) based systems, and upper end mid and main frame based systems.
Embedded systems, where the shipping application is embedded within a shipping scale, generally include PROM-based rating tables and their associated functionality. Data entries to the application are made via an operator keypad on the front of the scale or by scanning bar codes or similar symbology directly to certain fields within the application. Table data and certain rating functionality is generally added through the use of PROMs, while weight data is generally entered from the scale driver directly to the application, or is entered by manual entry. The embedded systems are generally capable of producing a manifest for use by the carrier, as well as producing barcode or address labels for application to the parcel.
PC-based systems are more flexible then embedded systems because they allow a greater range of peripherals, greater memory capacity, networking capabilities (both internet and intranet) and the ability to store records and address lists while accepting data download in a variety of ways. Scales used with these types of systems are directed to recording weight under control of the shipping application. Rating and services functionality are also directed from the application, while the system shops for an appropriate rate from a database within a memory contained within the PC or from a rating table directed by a server. Address lists can be stored or forwarded as well. The ability of the PC-based system to provide a communications link to a network, while allowing integration with a client""s information systems, is perhaps the greatest strength of these systems. Network links via the internet provide the system with an interface to a great number and variety of carrier web sites, increased functionality, and parcel tracking. Additionally, data relevant to shipping history for a particular location, or historical manifest data can be downloaded or uploaded in a quick and efficient manner as necessary.
The PC-based systems offer much the same functionality as the upper end mid and main frame systems. The upper systems, however, offer the advantage of exceptional processing speed while handling large volumes of transaction data or performing multi-tasking of application services, as well as application level integration with client systems.
Parcel shipping, in general, has benefitted from efficiencies associated with PC-based systems. Labels can be printed at the desktop, weighing scales are interconnected to PCs for inputting weight to parcel shipping applications, and manifests for recording the details of parcel pickup and delivery are printed at the desktop as well. Peripherals such as scanners and other input devices can also be added for increased data delivery. But, shipping applications still rely on an important piece of data in determining the cost of a shipment; that piece of data is weight. Parcel shipping is tied to the weight parameter in determining a cost for shipping a parcel because of the profusion of services available from individual carriers and the fact that parcels tend to be of varied weight and size.
In a PC-based environment that is serving as a stand alone system only, or that is part of a local area network (LAN), or even a wide area network (WAN), the weight of a parcel can be entered directly to a shipping application from the associated weighing scale. However, in an internet-based environment, there is currently no way to introduce the weight into the required fields of the shipping application while using an internet browser for internet-based applications being directed from a server. Traditionally, the method for adding weight to the shipping application while using the browser has involved the use of manual entry into the appropriate fields. Therefore, a method and system are required that allows the system user to enter weight data directly to the internet-based application while utilizing a browser.
Some developed technology has attempted to eliminate the need for utilizing a weighing scale for inputting the weight parameter in determining postage charges. One such method and system has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,209 for a SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF POSTAL ITEM WEIGHT BY CONTEXT issued Nov. 9, 1999 to Salim G. Kara (hereinafter referred to as Kara). In Kara, parameters are input into the system that are associated with the context in which the mail piece is generated; the parameters can be manually input or can be input by the application which is generating the associated mail piece.
One drawback to Kara is the flexibility of the disclosed system. Kara is specifically drawn to xe2x80x9cpostal itemsxe2x80x9d and thus does not address the issues associated with carrier management or shipping systems that require more varied input in addition to performing rate shopping among multiple carriers. Kara, though providing access to a resident database for determining component weights in calculating postage values, does not provide a means of accessing non-resident databases; nor, does Kara provide a means for training its resident database so as to provide a greater range of rating variables. Of particular importance, however, is that Kara does not provide for a means of providing a weight to an internet-based shipping application directly from a scale.
Based on the aforementioned needs in the art, it is an object of the present invention to restore the ability of providing a weight to a shipping application that is resident on, or dependent upon, an internet link (or similar network-based link) utilizing a browser. It is a further object of the present invention to eliminate the use of manual entry of weight data into the appropriate fields of a carrier manager or shipping application when that weight is provided by a weighing scale.
According to the invention, the object is achieved and the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by a method and system for inputting a weight of a parcel to be shipped into a shipping application of a data processing system. The data processing system comprises a web site for a provider server and a client node in communication with the provider server. The web site further comprises provider web pages and script functionality resident in the provider web pages for linking with a scale driver resident in a client computer that is in communication with a weighing scale attached at the client node. The client node can be one of a plurality of client nodes that are linked to the data processing system and wherein at least one, but as many as all of the plurality of client nodes, comprises a weighing scale for entering weight into the shipping application.
The weighing scale at the client node further comprises: a scale driver; a scale server resident first at the client computer but callable under control of the script functionality; and, script activation capability for allowing the script at the web site to link with the weighing scale by utilizing the scale driver.
The invention""s method begins with the calling of a web site associated with the provider server, from the client node, by utilizing a communications link for linking the web site and the weighing scale at the client node. The communications link comprises: a browser for accessing the web site by the client node; a network interface routine for allowing access to a network wherein the web site resides; and, communications means for physically interfacing the weighing scale with the client node and then ultimately the network itself. A set of plug-ins for communication to the scale server may be required for certain browser types.
The client node requests that a scale activation routine be activated at the web site for download to the client node; thereafter, the routine is activated at the client node. The routine includes the use of script (such as JAVA(trademark) script) to call an Active-X automation server. The script functionality further comprises: display functionality for displaying the weight in a particular format; a xe2x80x9cget weightxe2x80x9d function for directing the weight to be transmitted to the shipping application; a setup function for storing a set of steps to be used for activating the script functionality, the scale driver and the scale server; and, a set of instructions for performing one or more activities. The scale server is an Active-X automation server that is first resident on the web site, but is then downloaded to the client node. Download need only occur once as the server will then reside at the client computer within the client node. Once the automation server has been called, it is then downloaded, together with an appropriate scale driver, from the web site to the client node. Each of these steps can be saved as an initiation set to a memory resident in the provider server or in the client node. The initiation set may be called by either the client node or the provider server to establish the initiation set for future transactions.
When the automation server and the scale driver have been downloaded and installed, a system user tests a communication link between the weighing scale and the scale server as a setup or diagnostic tool prior to logging into the shipping application at the web site. The system user then logs onto the shipping application. The logging step further comprises the step of inputting a set of shipping parameters into the shipping application. The weight is entered into the shipping application for the purpose of obtaining a cost of shipping the parcel, the cost determined as a function of the weight and the set of shipping parameters. The set of shipping parameters further comprises: a destination; a class or type of service by which the parcel will be shipped; and/or, a period of time for a delivery of the parcel.
The parcel is weighed on a weighing scale under control of the scale driver. The shipping application requests the weight from the scale server by way of the script call and then enters the weight, through the browser into the shipping application. The request for the weight further comprises the steps of querying as to whether or not the weight is to be requested by the automation server through a script call; and, if the weight is to be called by the script call, then requesting the weight from the scale server automatically. If the weight is not to be requested by the script call, then the system user at the client node will make an entry into the shipping application via a response to a prompt on the web site.